Means for lubricating the transmission-gear of motor-vehicles.



L. RENAULT. I MEANS FOR LUBRIGATING THE TRANSMISSION GEAR 0F MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1910.

Patented IIar.I2,

totem.

UNlTlill STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS RENAULT. OF BILLANCOURT, FRANCE.

IVIEANS FOR.LUBRICATING THE TRANSMISSION-GEAR OF MOTOR-VEHICLES.

To all whom. it may concem:

Be it known that I, Louis RENAULT, a citizen of the French Republic, residing at Billancourt, Department of the Seine, in France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Means forLubricating the Transmission- Gear of Motor-Vehicles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

The present invention has for its object a device for automatically lubricating the transmission gear and the rear axle of automobile vehicles driven through a universal joint, by utilizing for this lubrication the lubricant serving for the change speed ear. a The invention-is carried out by connecting the box of the change speed and the gear casein which the front joint of the transmission shaft moves, in such a manner that the dipping of the joint in the oil causes a part of the latter to flow as far as the rear axle of the vehicle.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1' is a side elevation partly in section of a vehicle provided with the device forming the object of the invention. Fig. 2 is a section onthe line A-B in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial section of the second embodiment of the invention.

The gear case 1 for the change speed gear, in the lower part of which the lubricant required for lubricating the pinions is contained in the usual manner, communicates through a slightly flexible tube 2 wit-h the lower part of the case 3 inclosing the front end of the transmission shaft 5. The dimensions of the several parts are such that the universal joint 4 enters the oil slightly, the level of this oil being substantially-the same in thecase 3 and in the change speed box 1. The joint 4; unites the transmission shaft 5 and the shaft}? with the change speed gear box.

The shaft 5'rotates in the interior of the tube 16, which is invariably connected on the one hand with the case 3 and on the other hand with the casing 7 fixed to the rear axle and inclosing the differential. The rotation of the shaft 5 in the tube 16 Specification of Letters Patent.

- Application filed April 9, 1910. Serial No. 554,548.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

takes place in bearings 8 and 5), preferably ball bearings.

Owing to the fact that the joint 4 enters the oil in the case 3, the oil is projected to the upper part of the case, where it is partly collected in a gutter, 10 of suitable form (Fig. 2). Thence it flows through a passage 11 into the annular space existing between the shaft 5 and the tube 16; it thus penetrates as far as the rear axle and-insures the lubrication of the bearing 8, the thrust bearing 12 and of the other parts inclosed in the casing 7.

The object of making the tube 2 flexible is to permit of play of the Cardan joint 4, which is likewise insured because the shaft 6 is able to slideslightly in the direction of its length.

In the modification represented in Fig.3, the object aimed at is to prevent with certainty leakages of oil which might occur between the case 3 and the shaft 6. With this object, the case 3 is not directly connected with the tube 16; it is fixed like the change speed gear box and the shaft 6 rotates in the interior, of this casing with the interposition of suitable joints 14. The connection between the case 3 and the tube 16 is insured by a flexible dust protector 13. The operation is the same as in the arrangementpreviously described; the dipping of the joint in the oil projects it into the. gutter 10 from which it escapes through the orifices 15 and effects the lubrication in the manner already described.

I claim:

' 1. In an automobile, the combination with the transmission shaft and the universal joint connected therewith, of a tube surrounding said shaft and leading backward from said joint to the rearaxle, a case surrounding the universal joint, a change speed gear casein front of said last named case and adapted to hold a body of oil, and a flexible tube connecting said change speed case with the case around said universal joint.

2. In an automobile, the combination with the transmission shaft, the universal joint at the forward portion thereof, and the change speed gear located in front of said universal joint, of lubricant-containing cases inclosing the universal joint and the change speed gear respectively, a flexibletube connecting the lower portions of said cases, a tube surrounding the transmission .shaft and leading backward from the uni-' yersal joint to the rear axle, and a gutter 1n the upper part of the case for the universal joint into which the Oll is thrown the rotation of said joint, said gutter leadat the forward portion thereof, and the change speed-gear located adjacent to said universal oint, of lubricant conta ning cases inclosing the universal joint and change speed gear respectively, means to convey the oil from the first of, said cases to the second, a tube surrounding the trans mission shaft. and leading backward from theuniversal joint to the rear axle, and means in the case for. the universal joint to convey the oil from said case to the said transmission shaft tube.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two itnesses.

LOUIS RENAULT. \Vitnesses:

H. C. COXE, EMILE KLoTz. 

